Electric-railway system



(No Model.)

W. LAWRENCE. ELEGTEIG RAILWAY SYSTEM.

No. 605,317. Patented June 7,1898.

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NITED STATES PATENT GEEICE.

WILLIAM LAWRENCE'CE NEW YoRILlN. Y., ASSIGNCR To TI-IE UNIVERSAL SURFACE ELECTRIC RAILWAY COMPANY, or WEST VIRGINIA. I

ELECTRIC-RAILWAY SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters recent No. 605,317',v dated Julie 7, 189s.

Application filed December l, 1897.` Serial No. 660,348. (No model.) u

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM LAWRENCE, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric-Railway Systems; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The invention vrelates to surface-contactV electric railways inwhich the circuit is normallyinterrupted at intervals along the track. This circuit is closed and openedat points under the car by means of a magnetic device carried upon the car.

Figure 1 is a diagrammaticview embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan of the railway-track. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the track through one of the junction-boxes.

Fig. 4t is a longitudinal cross-'section of a junc-V tion-box. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective of the switch mechanism.`

1 represents a sectional surface contact feeder-rail.

2 are pole-pieces on the under side of rail 1. This rail 1 is preferably broken at 35 and also between the poles 2, or, what is substantially the same thing, a piece of diamagnetic metal 36 is inserted between the sections 1 at the poles 2.

3 is a junction-box inclosing the pole-pieces.

4 is lan oscillating shaft journaled in box 3.

5 is an` armature on shaft'li, disposed between the pole-pieces 2.4

6 is a switch mechanism normally open.

7 is the switch-box within the j unction-box.

8 is a weighted arm upon shaft 4, normally acting to keep the switch 6 open.

9 is a dynamo. 10 is a feed-wire therefrom, and 11 a return-wire thereto.

12 is a feed-wire to switch 6.

13 and 1 4 are feed-wires leadin gf rom switch 6 to contact-rails 1.

15 and 16 are the ordinary track-rails. In-

stead of the usual` bonding of" these rails to 5o return the circuit, therail-sections 15 are not `directly connected electrically, but returnwires 17 and 18 are led from said rails to the switch 6.

19 is a return-wire from switch 6 to the re- 55 turn-wirell and dynamo 9.

I The car carries a current-collector 20, having, preferably, rolling contacts 21 and electromagnets 22 electrically connected thereto.

23 is a wire leading from collector 2O and 6o magnets 22 to the car-motor 24'. p 25 is a wire leading from the motor to theA l track 15 throughV one of the car-Wheels. j In operation the current iiows from. dynamo 9, through feederxlO, branch wires 12, to switches 6. When the magnets of the collector 20 reach the feeder-railsectionsl, substan tially opposite the pole 2, andmak'e contact therewith, the magnets 22 are energized vfrom the preceding section anda magnetic 7o ux enters the, pole-pieces 2,causing the arma- ;ture 5 to iind its relative poles. Shaft 4 is thereby oscillated andl electrical connection established between wire'12,feeder 10, and wires 213 and 14 to the adjacent feeder-sections 1 75 through contact 26 of-switch 6 and between ,wires A17 and '18, leading Vfrom track-sections 15 to wire 19 of return-wire 1l, through contact 27 of the switch. The current thereupon flows through switch 6 to sections 1, where 8o their respective armatures are actuated, to contacts 21, collector'20, wire 23, to motor 24, and from the Inotjorby wire 25 and car-,wheel to' rail 15, towires 17 and 1S, switch 6, wire 19, Wire 11, to dynamo I The current is `broken through sections 1 when the collector passesfrom contactV therewith, the pole-pieces 2 become demagnetized, and the Weighted arm S causes armature 5to swing back, thereby breaking all connections V9o through switch 6 and rendering allsections `not under the car dead and-harmless.' The `armature 5 thus held by the magnets 22until the current-collector passes from each section, after being excited, is due to the armature coming into contact withthe polesl 2andjfo1p1n1- ing a magnetic catch.

Junction-box 3 has a hand-hole provided with a cover 28, a drain 29 to the sewer,- openings for the feed and return wires and 11, supports for the switch-box 7 and shaft 4, and insulated bearings 30 for the feeder-sections 1.

Some of the track-rail sections may be longer than the sections 1, and those switches adjacent the longer sections 15 may have only lone return-wire 31 instead of two returns 17 movement between the'faces of each pair of poles, and a magnet carried by the moving vehicle supplying a magnetic flux to the fieldpoles for moving the armature. 4

2. The combination of feeder-rail sections, pole-pieces upon eachof said sections, an armature pivoted at its center and disposed between the adjacent ends of said pole-pieces normally at right angles to said sections, wire connections, and a source of energy, whereby the armature is caused to swing into line with said sections and find its relative poles. t

3.V The combination of feeder-rail sections, pole-piecesupon said sections, an armature hung between said pole-pieces, and means for energizing said sections, whereby the armature is caused to swing into line with said sections..

4t. The combination of a sectional trackrail,feederrailsections, pole-pieces upon said sections, an armature pivotally hung between said pole-pieces, an oscillating shaft upon which the armature is hung, means for normally holding the armature at right angles to said sections, switch-pieces upon said shaft and oscillating therewith, fixed switch-pieces, wires leading from the switch-pieces toadjacent sectional track-rails, a source of electrical energy, and wires leading therefrom to i the oscillating switch-pieces4 upon the armacurrent-collector.

6. In an electric-railway system the combivnation of a junction-box having a top provided with a cover and a seat for the feedersection, an oscillating shaft mounted therein carrying an armature and a switch, and a secondary box within the junction-box inclosing the switch.

7. In an electric-railway system, a j unctionbox having a seat for a feeder-rail extending longitudinally across one side' of the same, a secondary box within the j unction-box. inclosing a switch mechanism, and a removable cover for the j unction-box.

8. A junction-box for surface-contact railways provided with a seat at one side for the surface contact, a cover-plate alongside thereof, and having a removable secondary switchbox Within the junction-box, a shaft within the secondary switch-box carrying a switch, and extending out across the junction-box and carrying an armature.

9. A junction-box for surface-contact railways provided vwith a seat at one side for the surface contact, a cover-plate alongside thereof, a secondary switch-box within the junction-box having a removable cover lying under the removable cover ot' the j unction-box, a shaft extending across the j unction-box and through the secondary box, having a switch within the secondary box, and an armature Within the junction-box.

In testimony whereof I aftix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

wiLLiAM LAWRENCE.

W'itnesses:

EDWIN K. LUNDY, J FRED. KELLEY., 

